'Fortnite' Might Make 50 Vs 50 Mode Permanent, Or Something Like It

There are a few different ways to play Fortnite: Battle Royale at the moment. You can go it solo, like always, and try to stand alone as the single survivor out of a field of 100. Or you can play with one or three other teammates in the same basic modes we've had since launch. On top of that, you can launch into a special "Solid Gold" mode that limits all loot drops to legendary-tier weapons. Finally, we've got 50 vs. 50, which divides the game into two big teams and lets them duke it out in what you might call a battle royale, if you were so inclined. 50 vs. 50 is one of the most popular modes in the game, so much so that people have been lamenting the fact that it only sticks around for about a week or a time. Epic has apparently heard those laments and is thinking about making the mode or something like it permanent.

We’ve heard you about your love for 50v50 and we’re currently evaluating keeping a larger squad mode live at all times for those who enjoy that type of battling more!

In the past, Epic has also ran a limited time mode with 5 teams of 20, which would also be an option under the "larger squad" modes the team is talking about here.

50 vs. 50 was the first limited mode back in December, when Fortnite was still a PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds competitor that had yet to emerge as the biggest game on the planet. It was good then, and it saw significant improvement the second time Epic brought it around: it's now geared towards a single, large-scale conflict in the middle of the map, with a storm circle that's visible from drop. Each team also has its own battle bus now and the map is divided in half, encouraging players to either stick to their sides or go hunting in enemy territory. It's one of the best limited time modes because of just how much it changes the game: other modes, like Solid Gold, are essentially tweaks to the same essential gameplay. 50 vs. 50 is an entirely different beast that allows you to approach the game in ways that would never fly in standard battle royale.

50 vs. 50 is also bound to be interesting as Fortnite's competitive scene gets going. It wouldn't really work in the sort of Solo Showdown, in-game format we saw last weekend, but it would work as a massive showdown between large teams of pro in a tournament setting. You'd need a ton of organization to make it work, but that's what would make it interesting: the forts in a mode like that would be staggering.